Ah Holly Fam’ly broke the silence of a hushed Berbati’s Pan Thursday night and inadvertently transported the crowd to a lonely farm in Idaho, all clad in streams and dry grass and food-rearing mammals. At least that’s where I went. Suddenly, I had wildflowers adorning my pig-tail braids, a straw hat, denim overalls, and I was wandering in the meadow with my pet goat.
Back at Berbati’s, Ah Holly Fam’ly were drawing bows across violins, whispering into flutes, strumming acoustic guitars, and singing harmonies with the serenity and innocence of a children’s church choir. I half expected them to switch gears right into a version of The Farmer in the Dell or Old MacDonald, and by golly they did! Ending the set with a song called “EIEIO”, Ah Holly Fam’ly brought the pastoral image to a fresh and attractive level.
The wispy, sunny harmonies of AHF were soon to be quashed, however, by Tu Fawning’s mystifying and forewarning chants. Corinna Repp’s voice sounds lovelier live than recorded, and on stage she is a true force of nature.
Tu Fawning have something serious to tell us. They’re aware of a world to which most of us are blind and should perhaps be afraid of. Bathed in red lights, their cryptic message felt that much more urgent. Breaking through the dark clouds of their sound, “Out Like Bats” donned a sunshine-ray of handclaps (God bless the handclaps), and Repp even flashed a couple knowing smiles back to her keyboardist.
In perfect speed-dating style, Tu Fawning wrapped up their set, cleared the stage, and Norfolk and Western appeared like pop-up cowboy cutouts from an amusement park target practice game. Disappointingly, their live show is much like a frustrating game of target practice in trying to identify a distinctive sound. Neither folk nor western ("Nor Folk nor Western?") was immediately evident, which left them sounding elusive and stylistically timid, but their older albums were much like what one would expect from a band described as creaky, elegant, and intimate (their 2001 release, Winter Farewell fits this description nicely). If N&W were a politician running for office, I would vote ‘yes’ only if they promised to bring back more prominent lap steel and banjo sounds and fewer lengthy jam sessions.
Up next were The Dirty Three, a trio of old dudes from Australia who harness their talent as classically trained musicians to produce some of the most gorgeously heart wrenching instrumentations I have ever heard. Violinist Warren Ellis weaves around the stage playing his violin like an electric guitar—bowing and arching back, collapsing on the floor and kicking his legs in the air while his violin cried and whined ceaselessly. The band’s between-song banter was a welcome contrast to their melodramatic, tear-jerking harmonies. At one point Ellis summoned the sound guy to adjust the microphone to make him sound like Jim Morrison, and later introducing a song as being about looking into your corn flakes box and finding out that said rock star “stole your fucking mojo.” Yes, Warren, I hate it when that happens; but for goodness’ sake, just keep making music.
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Two songs go in, one comes out. Pick a side.
Columbus Short Would be an excellent match for Sam Cooke (especially if this movie was to include Sam’s Soul Stirrer years). Just as long as in the movie Sam does the singing of course lol. But as far as physical resemblance my boy Columbus Short all the way. View this clip of Cadillac Records were he played lil walter… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxTbcnW6bY
by Akin Z on Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 12.37 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
Oops meant Aloe Blacc not Black. Sorry about the typo. If you doubt that he should play Sam check him out here on you tube singing Loving you is Killing me. The likeness is uncanny - but the voice is quite different.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJuyaVcL2I&feature=artist
by Tamara L on Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 08.30 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
I have read the Peter Guralnick book and it is thoroughly researched down to the minutest detail. Amazing.
I would go for Aloe Black because he looks so much like Sam, but for heaven’s sake why are we talking about the quality of the actor’s singing? Sam’s singing has got to be dubbed in. We want the real thing not an impersonator. There is only one Sam Cooke. The actor can act, let Sam do the songs.
by Tamara L on Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 08.24 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
Thanks for the mention, we do appreciate your time and attention. Please check us out@DirtyDurdie.com.
once again thanks for noticing us.
by Dirty Ice on Tue Jan 24, 2012 at 11.04 pm from the entry: Yasiin Bey - Fete (Providence, RI; Dec.10, 2011)
John Boutte should play Sam Cooke. Except the point someone made about him dying young, this is true. Boutte may be a bit too old.
by Brendan on Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
La cara de kurt de: NO ME DIJERON NADA :| ajajjajajaja
by asdsad on Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 04.29 am from the entry: Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic Weigh In On Kurt Avatar
Blacks say the word 50+ times a day. Fuck the double standard, stop trying to create controversy.
by Steve C on Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 02.00 pm from the entry: John Mayer is about to get swallowed up in public outrage
